


Farmer and the Beast

by bulletincookie



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Antonio doesn't want to admit he's a furry, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 12:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16702459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bulletincookie/pseuds/bulletincookie
Summary: When a large reward is put up for anyone that can kill a beast terrorizing the sheep of a village, Antonio realizes that it's his chance to get his parents' barn fixed up. The barn gets fixed, but perhaps not in a way that Antonio was expecting.





	Farmer and the Beast

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! I needed a break from writing The Cygnus Thief for NaNoWriMo, and I realized I wanted to have more of a presence in the SpaPort tag on here, so I'm working on a few oneshots!! This was the first one I finished, I hope you enjoy!
> 
> As always, thank you to @sinunamor for betaing this for me!!

It started as a rumor initially, nothing more than that. One of the shepherds had claimed one of his sheep was stolen by a massive beast. It was not quite a wolf, but not quite a large cat either. Whatever it was, it was large and furred, and had sickly green eyes. Everyone had ignored him at first, thinking him to be crazy. However, when one of his sons had gone into the mountains to look for this beast after a second sheep went missing, he came back pale and sweating, claiming it to be one of the biggest monsters he's ever heard. He did not get a good look at it, too scared to advance further after hearing the deafening roars. Anything that roared that loudly he did not want to try to go up against.

Antonio was not worried about this beast. He always kept a close eye on his sheep during the day, with a sword strapped to his hip in case anything tried to get too close. During the night they were all securely locked up in his parents’ barn.

The barn wasn't great for the sheep, and they often had to spend money on medicine for them from the drafts or the leaks in it. It kept wolves out though, and that's all that mattered. However, his curiosity was piqued when he was selling the previous day’s pick of raspberries and grapes in town and overheard a conversation.

“Did you hear about that reward they got up for killing the beast?”

“Yeah. Only a fool would take it.”

”Aye, it's not worth going up against that thing for only a hundred reales.”

Antonio perked up at hearing that. A hundred reales could fix the barn up with a little to spare. He leaned over to look at the two men at the stall next to him. “I'm sorry, but did you say that the reward was a hundred reales for killing this beast?”

The men laughed at him. “Antonio, don't bother. If that old geezer’s son could not do it, you cannot. Why, you wouldn't even make the trip up there!”

“What? I could kill the beast if I wanted to!” Antonio defended, his cheeks flushing from embarrassment.

“Right, and I'm the mayor.”

The two men burst into laughter again as Antonio stood back at his stall, his fists clenched at his sides and shaking slightly. It was true, he never had to fight off anything from his sheep yet, and he often tried to avoid starting fights with anyone, but that didn't mean he couldn't kill a beast that was terrorizing the town.

He went home that day with a determination in his eyes. After letting the sheep graze for a bit, he would go into the mountains and kill the beast. He would bring back its pelt, and get the reward to fix up the barn.

He put the sheep back in their barn early so that he could start while there was still sunlight, and he made up for it by giving them some feed and water to eat if they were still hungry or thirsty.

“Toño, where are you going?” his mother asked when she saw him bundling up with an extra coat and a scarf, as well as his thicker boots.

“There's a beast in the mountains, I'm going to go kill it and get that reward to fix up the barn,” Antonio boasted, though his mother did not look convinced.

“Antonio, do not worry so much about the barn. We will find the money to fix it somehow,” she insisted. “Do not put yourself in such danger.”

“I will be alright mama,” Antonio assured her. “I will be back later tonight with its pelt.”

His mother looked at him with misty eyes and took a step back. “Please run if you cannot handle it. I do not want my baby to get hurt over a hundred reales.”

Antonio kissed her cheeks and gave her a small wave. “I will not get hurt,” he promised, then grabbed his lantern and left.

The trek up to the mountain was harsh, the early evening winds were biting cold and made him pull his scarf up higher in a feeble attempt to block out the cold. Eventually the walking and adrenaline helped warm him up somewhat but it still wasn't enough. By the time he got to the winding path that the shepherd’s son had said he made it to before hearing the beast, his cheeks and nose were raw. Still, he pressed onwards.

He froze as a loud roar echoed through the mountain, sounding ominously close. His heart skipped a beat and then started to race, and Antonio hesitated. He knew it sounded big, but that was nearly colossal. He regretted only bringing one small sword, what if it broke from the beast’s thick hide? Antonio shook his head and tried his best to follow where he heard the roar come from. He had to press on, for his parents and the sheep.

Another roar chilled him to the bone, but did not stop him this time. The same with the next, and the next. Antonio wondered if there was already someone fighting the beast with how much noise it was making. That made him speed up his step. He had to get at least half of that reward.

He paused as his feet led him to the entrance of a rocky cave.

”Come no further trespasser!” a growl came from inside. “Or you will walk into your demise!”

Antonio froze and shuddered. It could speak? This was certainly no ordinary beast. He drew his sword and cautiously stepped inside, lighting the lantern now that he was out of the wind. He swallowed nervously and looked around, holding the lantern higher.

“H-Hello?” he called out, then mentally smacked himself. Of course the beast would not respond! He cleared his throat and tightened his grip on his sword.

“Beast!” he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls of the cave. It gave him more determination. “I have come to slay you and end your reign of terror on my village!”

“What did I say?!” a voice snapped. Antonio turned confused at this. It sounded much more raspy and small than he was expecting. He pushed it to the back of his mind and brought the lantern around, trying to catch a glimpse of the creature. He stumbled back when a pair of glowing, sickly green eyes appeared right in front of him, and he raised the lantern up just in time to see a large, wide snout before the flame was snuffed out by a harsh huff.

“Ugh, that's better. I can't stand the light,” the beast growled, taking a few steps back. Even in the dim light, Antonio could see the beast standing on two legs. He could not find the words to describe it, other than the shepherd’s son was right. It walked like a man but clearly was not. Its shaggy fur resembled that of a wolf, but it had two large fangs that jutted down from its mouth and long, pointed ears like a gargoyle. A shaggy mane framed its face and trailed down the back of its neck.

There was one thing for certain though: it was much smaller than he was expecting.

_Perhaps this is just a child of the beast,_ Antonio thought. _The real beast is the mother, further in._

“I have no quarrel with you,” Antonio said. “I have come to slay the beast that's been terrorizing my village.”

“You— Did you just say that you had no quarrel with me, and in the same breath say that you're going to kill me?” the beast asked.

“Surely you are not the beast that was making all of that noise a minute ago,” Antonio said, and he gave a small laugh. “You are too small!”

The beast took in a deep breath, and let out a loud roar. It echoed off of the walls of the cave and outside, nearly deafening Antonio. The beast gave a raspy cough.

“Is that— enough proof for you, mister hero?” the beast teased in between rattling coughs. Antonio stood, dumbstruck.

“This entire time it has only been a trick?” Of course it was, nobody had seen the beast yet, except for the shepherd. Everyone else had only heard it.

“Humans are gullible, and it had been working well until you decided to be nosy anyways.”

Antonio shook his head and sighed. “You clearly are no threat.”

“If I give you some meat will you go away?”

”Wha— Wait, you stole our sheep!” Antonio took a step back and held his sword at the ready. “I— I’m going to kill you,” he muttered. “For terrorizing the town and stealing our sheep.”

“Really? You're serious? Thank goodness!” the beast exclaimed. “I thought you weren't going to do it. Make it quick please.” With that, Antonio watched in amazement as the beast moved to lay down on his back.

“Right here, my heart’s here I think,” the beast said, pointing to his chest. Antonio felt conflicted now. The beast looked so vulnerable like that, and it was clearly half starved.

“Hey, what are you waiting for? Kill me already.”

Antonio sighed and lowered his sword. “Why do you want to die?”

The beast propped itself up on an arm and gave him an annoyed look. “Because I hate living like this. Living like a beast, trapped up in a cold cave all day and night, with barely any food to eat. I used to be human, you know.”

“What?” Antonio asked. That certainly explained why the beast could talk.

“A witch cursed me. I was desperate for love, so I asked her to give me someone to fall in love with me. She turned me into this instead, and said that only when I am loved will I turn back to normal,” the beast explained. He scoffed and looked at his paws, bony but still massive, with sharp claws. “Yeah right,” he muttered, flopping back down onto the hard rock ground.

“Well that serves you right,” Antonio huffed. “You should never try to make deals with witches.”

“I was desperate okay!” the beast exclaimed. “My mother was pushing for me to get married, but nobody in town that was my type was interested in me!”

Antonio sighed heavily and moved to sit down across from him. “Let me get this straight,” he said. “You were so desperate to get married that you went to a witch, who then cursed you into being a beast until someone loved you?” He couldn't help but laugh. “I am sorry, but that sounds ridiculous.”

“I know that now!” the beast growled. “Look, are you going to kill me or not?”

Antonio sighed and looked down at his sword, and then back at the beast. “No, I do not think I have it in me to kill something so pathetic,” he teased.

The beast bristled and gave a low growl. “You just don't have the guts,” he retorted.

Antonio gave a deep sigh. “You're right, I don't. I came up here expecting to take on a massive and mighty beast for a hundred reales, to pay someone to fix up my parent’s barn. I..I am glad there was no terrifying beast. I would have been eaten alive.”

“I could still eat you alive.”

“But you won't.”

“What makes you so sure?”

Antonio looked up, studying the beast’s face for a moment. A wide snout with sharp fangs, looking almost wolf-like but not quite. Long, pointed ears were drawn back against a thick mane of fur that trailed down the beast’s neck, and shaggy, matted fur covered the rest of his body and face. The beast had sharp claws, almost demon-like in nature rather than rounded paws like an animal. A thick, lashing tail trailed out behind him, thumping against the ground like a cat. However, when he looked closely, the build was clearly similar to a human’s. His legs were curved and bent like a wolf’s, but the broad torso and shoulders, which looked to be mostly bone in the dim light, and the way the beast carried himself and moved his arms, it was all very human.

“You were human once,” Antonio reasoned. “You still have that humanity. You would not eat another human, would you?”

The beast snarled and his tail thumped and lashed harder against the ground as he thought it over. “…No, I wouldn't,” he begrudgingly admitted. “I do not like stealing sheep and eating them to begin with. I would not be able to do the same to a human.” His lips curled back in what Antonio presumed was an attempt at a smile, though the rows of sharp teeth chilled him.

“Besides, I do not think that stupid tastes good,” the beast joked.

Antonio gave a small pout. “I am not stupid, I’m brave! I'm the first of my village to come up here and try to kill you!” he defended.

“Look how great of a job you are doing at that.”

“I— That was before I found out you used to be human! Others will not be so kind.”

“Thank goodness. I do not think I will be able to handle more than one gullible idiot barging in.”

Antonio looked around the cave and frowned. Several large boulders had clearly been moved around to try to make the space as clear as possible. “…How strong are you, if you are well fed?”

“Much stronger than I was before, that's for sure,” the beast mused.

Antonio brightened up as he got an idea. “How about, in exchange for your life, you come and fix my parents barn?” he offered. “I will give you meat, and a warm place to stay.”

The beast looked back at Antonio, and it was difficult to see his expression clearly in the low light, but Antonio noticed the pricked up ears.

“Will your town not kill both of us if they find out you are hiding me?” the beast asked warily.

“They will not know. You can stay up in the attic of the barn, you said you do not like killing sheep correct?”

“I hate the taste of blood.”

“Great! As long as you don't kill my sheep, and get the barn fixed up, then I will buy you fresh meat. My parents cannot go up into the attic. My father’s back is not good enough and my mother’s knees are too weak, so they will never know as long as you are quiet.”

The beast thought it over for several seconds and sighed heavily. “I guess it's better than staying in this cold lump of rock.”

Antonio brightened up and clapped his hands together. “It's settled! I can try to find you a nice woman from town too,” he said. “One that will love your, eh…” He hesitated, trying to find something redeemable about the beast. “…your…wit?”

The beast burst out into laughter, which sent him into another raspy coughing fit. “My wit, yes. I am sure that will make everyone swoon so much they will not even notice the fur.”

“Oye! I am trying to help!” Antonio defended. “It is not my fault you are so rude and gross looking.”

The beast rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Look, are we going to your house or not? I am tired, so if you are not serious, I would like to sleep now.”

Antonio thought it over. Could he really trust this beast? Was he telling the truth about his story? He studied the creature’s face in the low light. Yes, he could trust him. Antonio could feel it in his chest, he could trust him.

“Let’s go, we should hurry before my parents try to go searching for me,” he said, getting to his feet.

“Get on my back then,” the beast instructed, getting to his feet as well but crouching down in front of Antonio.

“Are— Are you sure?” Antonio asked. “You look like I will break your ribs if I try.”

“I might be hungry but I'm not starved to the point of being too weak,” the beast insisted.

Antonio hesitated but carefully moved to cling to the beast’s back with his lantern hanging off of his arm, and made sure his sword didn't accidentally cut into the beast’s leg. The beast carried him outside, then dropped to all fours and started to sprint. Antonio yelped in surprise and clung to the thick mane of fur on his neck to try to keep holding on. He tightened his grip when the beast jumped from rock to rock, clearly avoiding being seen from the main path as he climbed and jumped down through the mountains.

Within no time at all, they were back on the soft green grass of the valley that Antonio’s village was in. Antonio stumbled off of the beast’s back to stagger a few steps away and clutch at his heart.

“You— You could have warned me,” he wheezed.

“That would not have been as fun,” the beast replied, a mischievous, but still unsettling, grin on his face.

Antonio took a deep breath and slowly let it out to relax and figure out where they were. “My house is not far from here. We can walk the rest of the way,” he muttered. He got a better look at the beast now that there was moonlight. Antonio saw that his shaggy fur was a light brown, speckled with gray tufts on his chest and shoulders. Some patches were lighter and dusty, from the rocks that he surely spent a lot of time climbing and jumping around if the way he maneuvered a minute ago was any indication.

“So are we walking or not?”

The beast’s question snapped him out of his thoughts. “Er, yes, we are,” Antonio muttered. “Come on.”

Antonio led the beast back to his house, trying to stay under as much tree and plant cover as he could. He sighed in relief when they got to the barn without any issue, and Antonio stopped the beast before he could go inside.

“Let me make sure my parents aren't in there first,” he whispered. He cracked open the door and peeked inside, then opened the door wider and ushered the beast in.

“Up this ladder,” he instructed. He climbed the ladder up to the loft, where bales of hay for the sheep were stacked. The beast glanced around, his tail swaying curiously.

“So where shall I sleep?” he asked.

Antonio frowned as he looked around and thought it over. He brightened up at the sight of a stack of hay that had already been removed from its bale. “Here, there is loose hay over here, you can sleep on that,” he offered.

“You do not have a cot or a blanket?” the beast scoffed. “Some host you are.”

“I am saving your life!” Antonio defended. “We do not have much money right now, you are lucky I am offering to feed you and give you somewhere to sleep!”

The beast sighed, his ears pinned back as he walked over to the pile of hay and sat down. He moved to burrow into the hay, wrinkling his nose.

“It's scratchy, but it will do,” he grumbled.

“Good. Let me see if I can find anything in the kitchen for you,” Antonio said. He climbed back down the ladder and went into his house. He heard a gasp and was immediately wrapped up in a tight hug from his mother.

“Oh Antonio, I am so glad you are safe!” his mother said, pulling away to look at him.

“You don't have any blood on you,” his father noted. “Did you run?”

“I did not kill the beast,” Antonio muttered. Well, it wasn't a lie. “I was thinking, we could charge more for what we sell in town, and then the extra money could be set aside for the barn to be fixed,” he suggested. “Everyone else is increasing their prices anyways, it would not be bad if we did too.”

“Yes of course Antonio, we do not need that silly reward for something so dangerous!” his mother agreed. “I do not care, as long as you are safe. Come, dinner is almost ready.”

Antonio followed his mother into the kitchen, the smell of his mother’s cooking instantly warming his chest. He took his seat at the table and ate with his parents, telling them only that he could not find the beast.

“He was probably lying,” his father grunted. “That guy is always looking for attention.”

“Maybe he just didn't want to admit he let a couple of his sheep wander off,” his mother chuckled.

Antonio laughed weakly with them. “Ha, maybe,” he mumbled. He took another bite to keep his mouth shut, and he tried to think of a way to bring extra to the beast. He did promise him food after all, and who knew when he had eaten last. Antonio felt his blood run cold. He left a hungry beast in a barn full of sheep.

He ate much faster then, and filled his plate up with “seconds”.

“It is a beautiful evening, I think I will eat outside,” he said quickly.

“If you're sure dear,” his mother said. “Do not stay out for long.”

Antonio hurried outside with his plate, nearly busting down the door when he got to the barn. To his relief, all of his sheep were still there, laying in content or milling about aimlessly. He took the plate of food up to the attic, where he saw the beast laying curled up in the hay. Antonio smiled gently at the sight. The way he was curled up reminded him of a cat.

He walked over and gave him a hesitant nudge with his foot, causing the beast to startle awake and flail before sitting upright, bits of hay still stuck to his dense fur. His eyes widened and his small, flat nose twitched a few times as he smelled the air.

“I brought you dinner, my mother made it,” Antonio said, sitting on the floor of the loft to hand him the plate and fork. The beast frowned and squinted at the fork.

“It's been a while since I've used one of these,” he muttered. He held it as best as he could between two large claws and started to eat. He tried to hold back his urge to toss the fork to the side and just eat everything directly off of the plate with his large muzzle. Eventually the plate was completely cleared, and he handed the fork and plate back to Antonio.

“Thank you,” he muttered. “That…that was the best meal I've had since I was turned into this, possibly even longer.”

Antonio beamed and set the plate and fork aside. “I know, mama is the best at cooking. She always makes plenty too,” he assured him. “So I should be able to feed you the extra every night. For breakfast and lunch I will find some meat to cook for you.”

“I sleep during the day, so eating breakfast and lunch is not a problem. You do not have to wake up in the middle of the night to cook meat for me, I am able to eat it raw.”

“Yes, but it tastes better when it is cooked and seasoned properly, and you are a guest,” Antonio insisted, resting his hand on top one of the beast’s large claws. The beast looked down at his hand warily, and back at Antonio.

“You said you wanted me to fix this barn, correct?” he asked.

“Yes, but it will be a couple of days before you can start. I have to get extra money for the wood,” Antonio explained sheepishly. “Oh, about the food…If you ever get the urge to eat, come find me please. I will leave my window open at night, it is at the back of the house. Please do not eat the sheep.”

“Raw sheep meat is like dirt compared to the meal I just had,” the beast said with a small laugh. “I will not hurt any of your sheep, you have my word.”

“Thank you,” Antonio muttered, though he did not move to get up just yet. The curiosity got the better of him. “..How long have you been like this?”

The beast counted on his claws and grumbled under his breath as he thought it over. “Four, almost five years,” he finally said.

“That is amazing, you still seem so human after so long,” Antonio said.

“I have been struggling to try to keep my humanity,” the beast admitted with a heavy sigh. “If I give into the curse and let myself act like the beast that everyone labels me as, then I fear I may never turn back.”

“I am sure you will find a way eventually,” Antonio assured him. “Do you still remember your name?”

“My name?” the beast repeated, looking at him in surprise. “…João. My name was João.”

“Is that not your name still?”

“I have gotten accustomed to people calling me ‘beast’ or ‘monster’.”

“Well that is not much of a name. Can I call you João?”

The beast hesitated for several seconds, his green eyes cast down into his lap. “…I would like that.”

“Then it is settled, João,” Antonio said with a proud grin. It felt strange, calling something that looked so inhuman by a human name, but he supposed it was no different than a cat named Kevin.

“I do not think you gave me your name,” João said, looking back at him.

Antonio brightened up at the request. “My name is Antonio.”

“Antonio,” João mused, and Antonio found it a little cute how his name sounded in the slight growling tone he had.

“You are quite cute, for a giant sheep eating beast,” Antonio teased.

“I can still eat you.”

“But you won't.”

João scoffed and said nothing as he laid back down on the hay and shifted to try to get comfortable. Antonio reached out, but hesitated.

“Can I, ah, touch you?” he asked.

João gave a small grunt in response. “Sure, whatever. But don't expect me to act like a dog and roll over,” he muttered.

Antonio smiled and moved to rest a hand on João’s large head, giving a small rub over his thick fur. He pulled his hand away and wrinkled his nose at how greasy and dirty his matted fur felt.

“When was the last time you bathed?”

“How should I know? I’ve been living in a cave for two months.”

“That's disgusting! You need to bathe, you might have fleas!”

“You're the one that wanted to touch me. That's your fault.”

“You might infest the sheep! Come on, there's a stream not too far from here. I can get you shampoo.”

João gave a deep groan of annoyance but got to his feet anyways, giving a small shake to try to get rid of the hay that stuck to him. Antonio sighed and grabbed the plate and fork before getting to his feet as well. He climbed down the ladder and left the barn with João following.

Antonio pointed to a small hill in the distance. “If you go over that hill, you can see the stream. I'll bring the shampoo in a minute,” he said. He went inside to deposit his plate and fork in the sink, apologizing to his mother for adding another dish while she was already washing the others. He then hurried into the shower and got his shampoo, though he wondered if it would work on João. He shrugged and figured it wouldn't hurt to try, then hurried out of the house again. He hesitated as he looked back at the barn. With how matted João's fur was, there was not much of a chance of getting all of the dirt and fleas out with just shampoo. He grabbed the brush he used for the sheep, a bucket, and a pair of shears before hurrying off to the stream.

João was sitting in the stream, the water up to his chest. He looked even skinnier with his fur soaked and flat against his body. His ribs and shoulders jutted out, and Antonio winced at the sight. He made a mental note to get the fattier cuts of meat at the market. He set everything down on the bank of the stream and got the brush out first.

“I brought this comb, I use it for the sheep so it should get through your mats,” he explained. “If not, well..” He brought out the shears to show João, who recoiled at the sight.

“You are not touching me with those,” he hissed, his snout scrunching up.

“Only if they are impossible to brush out,” Antonio insisted as he set the shears back down. “Come here.”

João hesitantly moved to sit on the bank, and Antonio set to work. He started with the thick mane that trailed down the back of his neck, where the worst matting was. When he managed to slowly work through them all, with a few growls and whines from João, he felt confident that he could get the rest of him brushed out.

It took him what he was sure was almost an hour, and a pile of fur had been brushed out onto the bank, but Antonio beamed with pride as he looked at his work. João's fur laid completely flat against him now, with the exception of his mane.

“I am surprised I did not need to cut any off, to be honest with you,” Antonio chuckled. He moved to roll up his pants and shirt sleeves to wade into the water with João, the shampoo bottle in his hand. He was silently thankful he got the large value bottle, though he knew he would most likely need another bottle after this. He would have to look into getting dog shampoo.

“I almost wish you had, that hurt,” João grumbled.

“But you feel better now, right?” Antonio asked with a knowing smile.

João only gave a small grunt in reply, and Antonio went about lathering his fur up as best he could with the shampoo. It took several rinses until the brown foam finally came out white, just as Antonio squeezed out the last of the shampoo from the bottle. He rinsed out the last of the shampoo, watching the foam travel down the lazy stream. He tossed the bottle back onto the bank.

“Did you use that entire bottle on me?” João asked, looking at the bottle with a grimace.

“You had at least a year’s worth of grime on you,” Antonio scoffed. “That was not coming out so easily.”

“I see,” João mumbled as he stepped out of the stream.

Antonio followed him out and set the shears and empty shampoo bottle back in the bucket, and got the comb back out. “Let me brush you out again, just in case there are any tangles that formed from the shampoo.”

“Fine,” João grumbled, sitting down on the grass to let Antonio brush him off again. Antonio set to work, being much more careful with making sure that he brushed out every part. João gave a small shake when Antonio finished and stepped away, and Antonio yelped at the water that landed on him.

“Hey, you might get fleas on me!” he exclaimed.

“Relax, I think any fleas that might have been on me are gone now from how much shampoo you put on me,” João retorted. “Come on, let's go back. I want to take a nap.”

Antonio didn't realize until João mentioned it, but he really was exhausted. Washing a giant wolf-cat-beast was tiring work, which he should have expected, but he hoped his mother did not worry about him.

They walked back to the barn, where João climbed up to the loft in the barn and Antonio put the brush, bucket, and shears back. Antonio went back to the house to toss the empty shampoo bottle into the trash, thankful that his mother and father did not ask him where he had been and what he did that required an entire bottle of shampoo. He went into his bedroom where he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. It had been an exhausting day.

Unfortunately, that exhausting day did not seem to be over quite yet when he woke up to tapping on his window. His heart raced for a few moments, and he was almost too scared to look at the window, but he realized that it was probably just João. A small turn of his head confirmed this, and Antonio saw João's green eyes glowing through the glass. He sighed and got up to open the window.

“You said you would leave your window open if I needed you,” João complained with a pout.

“I'm sorry, it's been a long day. What do you need?”

“I'm hungry again.”

“Again?”

“It's been five hours.”

Antonio pushed his hair back away from his face in exasperation and tried to stretch to get rid of the grogginess that still clung to him. “Okay, wait here. I'll bring you something in a few minutes.”

He turned and went into the kitchen, staying as quiet as he could as he rummaged through the cupboards in an attempt to find something for João to eat. He finally settled on cooking up some ground beef they had in the back of the freezer. It surely wasn't the best, but it was something that his parents hopefully would not notice was gone. He seasoned it and scooped it up onto a plate to carry it to his room.

Antonio nearly dropped the plate in surprise when he saw João sitting there on his bed, his tail swaying back and forth as he pawed at his sheets to get comfortable.

“Hey! Don’t sit on my bed, you'll get— whatever you are fur on it!” he exclaimed.

“I've been sleeping in caves and forests for five years!” João defended, making no move to budge. Antonio stared him down, and held the plate away from him.

“Then I won't give you this,” he said. João's ears pricked up as the scent of the seasoned beef reached him, and Antonio watched as João clearly hesitated, his nose twitching from the delectable smell. However, Antonio finally processed João's words. João hadn't felt luxury in years. And…he could wash his sheets, couldn't he? Just as João was about to move, Antonio heaved a deep sigh and stepped forward to offer him the plate.

“Fine, just…don't get any beef on my bed,” he grumbled.

João's eyes lit up with happiness and he took the plate, but paused. “May I have a fork?”

Antonio looked surprised at the request, but he gave a small nod. “Of course. I'll be right back.” He left, and returned a moment later with a fork, which he handed to João. “Here.”

João took the fork and fumbled with it before finally figuring out how to hold the small utensil in his large claws again. He went about eating the seasoned beef delicately and with great care, and Antonio sat down next to him to close his eyes and relax. It was so late, and he was tired.

Before he knew it, he was moving to lean against João. Now that his fur was washed and brushed out, he was incredibly soft. Like an oversized stuffed animal, but warm. He sat up and blinked the bleariness away when he felt João shift.

“I'm just setting this aside,” João murmured. He set the plate on the floor next to the bed, and moved to gently grab Antonio and scoop him up. He laid down on the bed, having to curl up to avoid having half of his legs hanging off the end. Antonio yawned and moved to snuggle up to his broad chest, his arms wrapping around him and his fingers burying themselves in that thick, soft fur. He barely noticed the blanket getting pulled over him and the large arms wrapping securely around him. All he knew was that he felt safe.

He was woken up again early in the morning, just as the sky was starting to get light outside, by the feeling of cold. He blinked his eyes open and saw João's hulking form climbing out the window.

“Wait,” Antonio whined.

João paused and looked back at him. “What?”

“It's cold.”

Antonio heard the deep sigh João gave, and he smiled in content when his bed creaked and groaned in complaint as João climbed back in under the covers to pull him close once more. Antonio wasted no time in snuggling back up to him and clinging to him again, and João pressed his large muzzle to the top of his head briefly.

“Your parents will not come in and see me?”

Antonio took a small delight in feeling João's chest rumble with his words. “No. They will not come in,” he slurred.

João grunted but didn't say anything more, and it didn't take Antonio long before he fell back asleep until late in the morning, when a loud knock came at his bedroom door.

“Antonio! Are you going to work or are you going to sleep all day?” his mother called.

Antonio yawned and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. He looked at João, who lay curled up next to him, and a warm smile spread across his face.

Another harsh knock came. “Antonio!”

“I'm coming mama,” Antonio called.

“Well hurry up! It's already ten!”

Antonio paused at that. Ten? But it was so dark in his room! He turned his head to look at his window, which he realized had the curtains drawn. No wonder the sun didn't wake him up. He sighed and carefully climbed over João's large figure to change into a new outfit. He jumped in surprise when he turned around and saw João's glowing eyes staring back at him.

“What's the plan?” João asked in as best of a whisper as he could manage.

“Um.” Antonio tried to think it over. How was he supposed to sneak a large wolf-cat-beast into the barn in broad daylight, especially with his mother and father being up and about all day? He looked back at João. He looked pitifully tired.

“You can stay here, if you’d like,” he finally relented.

João’s ears pricked up. “In your room? Alone? Are you sure?”

“Yes, but don’t touch anything. I’ll be back at three.” Antonio slipped out of his room, and João felt a pang of sympathy for him when he heard angry scolding coming from further inside the house.

\---

As promised, Antonio did return in the afternoon after working out in the fields. His father had taken the trip to town that day after seeing that Antonio was not awake, leaving Antonio to do the hard work of tending to all of the crops and the sheep. He was thankful when he was able to get a long drink of cold water and then stumble into his room, where he was hoping to rest for an hour, but João seemed to have other plans. Antonio stopped and looked at the small mountain of clothes piled on his bed, that slowly rose and sank with each breath that João took under them.

“João,” Antonio called out softly.

João gave a small start and lifted his head, his brilliant green eyes still hazy with sleep. “What?”

“What is this? I told you not to touch anything.”

João woke up more and sat up, which caused several shirts and pairs of pants to tumble down onto the bed and floor. “I-- You--” He fumbled for words and immediately set about folding up the clothes and getting up to put them away back in the dresser. “Your...Your clothes smelled like you. It’s a good scent. I couldn’t help myself.”

“I see,” Antonio muttered. He wondered how his clothes could ever smell good. With him working in the mud and crops, being rubbed up against by sheep, sweating under the hot sun in the market, or all three, it was a miracle that João did not recoil in disgust simply by being in his room. Yet there he was, surrounded by his clothes, both dirty and clean.

Antonio moved to sit down on the bed and took off his socks and tossed them into the laundry basket. He peeled off his sweat-soaked shirt and flopped back down onto the bed, thankful for the gentle breeze coming through the window. He peeked an eye open when he felt the bed dip down, and he furrowed his brow at the sight of João trying to cover his nose and mouth with his claws.

“What’s wrong?”

“You smell...strong.”

This only confused Antonio more. “Strong?”

“Yes. Please shower.”

“I will only get sweaty again in an hour. I will shower tonight once I am done with work.”

João’s nose scrunched up, and he got up to sit on the other side of the room. He pulled one of Antonio’s shirts back out of the dresser and pointedly covered his nose and mouth with it. Antonio didn’t pay it any mind though, and turned over to try to rest. Soon enough, he felt the bed dip once more as João sat down next to him.

“Will I be able to stay in here instead of in the barn?” João asked. “I prefer it here. It smells better.”

“It smells like sweat and mud.”

“It smells like you.”

Antonio’s cheeks flushed at hearing this. How could the scent of sweat, mud, and sheep smell good? He shrugged it off, trying not to think too much of it. He moved to lay onto his back instead so he could look up at João. “Are you going to sleep or not?”

João was quiet for several seconds before finally laying down next to him. Antonio sighed in relief as João settled down and started to doze off next to him. Antonio dozed off as well, enjoying the comfortable warmth that João offered again. He woke up not too long later, always used to napping for no more than an hour. He carefully climbed out of João’s arms to get up and pull his clothes back on and get back to work.

Throughout the next weeks, Antonio found it harder and harder to ask João to hide in the barn instead, as João worked out there all night while Antonio and his parents slept. It was safer, especially since João was nearly discovered by his mother one time, and his father noted the short, wiry fur that was peppered over all of Antonio’s clothes, but Antonio could not help but want to always stay curled up with that soft, fuzzy warmth every evening before João went out to fix up the barn. João worked quickly and quietly, and Antonio found more and more ways to sneak extra meals and food to him in the dead of night. If his parents noticed, they never said anything.

Antonio and João even found ways to sneak out into the fields and hills to talk freely without worry of Antonio’s parents hearing João’s deep, rumbling voice. Antonio couldn’t get enough of listening to João. He especially loved how filled with gratitude João sounded when he thanked him for taking him in. He did not see how only a month ago he had set out to kill such a kind and gentle beast.

Antonio found that João’s mane was perfect for placing flowers in. The thick fur kept the flowers in place against even stronger breezes. The light white and yellow wildflowers stood out beautifully against João’s dark fur.

Every time Antonio chopped wood on the stump behind the house, he could glance over his shoulder and there João almost always was, watching him with those piercing eyes. Those eyes seemed so intimidating and fierce at first, but now Antonio knew they went deeper than that. They held the soul of a man who had accepted his fate of being a beast, a man who was clinging with desperation to the last shreds of humanity that he had left. Antonio saw more and more of that humanity coming out with every day that passed, as João watched Antonio and often even tried to copy him and his habits.

Even though Antonio could not afford to buy him soap every week, João often bathed in the stream every day, even if it was just to rinse off. He tried to brush himself off as much as he could reach with the comb, and Antonio would brush the rest. Antonio would always spend a little extra time on the thick fur on his head and neck, since João clearly enjoyed having his mane scratched and pet. Antonio discovered that there was a part behind João’s left ear and along his jaw that he especially loved having scratched, but only lightly. It was cute to see the hulking beast squirm and move to try to press up as close as possible to Antonio to get him to scratch and rub that section more. Those times would often end in an impromptu evening nap. Antonio’s parents eventually learned to stop asking Antonio where he always disappeared off to before dinner.

One day, soon after the barn was finished being fixed up, João slipped out of the house. “To look for something” he said. He told Antonio not to worry, that he would be back before he knew it, but Antonio still worried all day. He managed to sell a record amount simply by being so worried that he stopped and rambled on with chatting with almost everyone that took at least a second to look at what he had and was willing to listen. It meant that he would be able to buy shampoo again if João used the rest of his. If João came back, that was. His heart sank at realizing his worries might have been right when he got back and saw that João was still nowhere to be found on the property.

_What if he got captured?_ Antonio wondered. _There surely is still that bounty out for him._ The townsfolk had talked about what happened to the beast, theorizing that possibly it was chased off by everyone that rushed to try to find it. Antonio had been asked about whether he saw it when he went into the mountains, but Antonio had only shrugged and said he could not kill it.

By the time that dinner was finished, Antonio was too worried to touch any of the food, and he went straight to bed. He could feel his parents’ concern, but he was thankful they did not question him. Antonio tossed and turned in his bed, worry coursing through his mind endlessly until he was shocked out of his thoughts by a light, familiar tapping on the window.

Antonio bolted upright and his heart soared at the sight of João’s glowing eyes outside. He threw the window open and leaned out to wrap his arms tightly around João’s broad shoulders.

“Where have you been? I was so worried!” he exclaimed.

João stepped into the room with a heavy sigh. “I apologize. I was looking for this.” He produced a small, engraved wooden box that was covered in dirt and bits of moss. He opened it to reveal a shining set of golden jewelry, delicate chains making up a necklace with diamonds hanging off of it, with a bracelet and a pair of small gold earrings to match. Antonio admired the set with his eyes sparkling almost as much as the diamonds sparkled in the moonlight.

“Where did you get such expensive jewelry?” he asked.

“I bought it before I was turned into this,” João explained. “I was not royalty, but I was rich. When I was about to go to the witch, I assumed it would be good to have a gift ready for my new lover.” He smiled and held the box out to Antonio. “But now, I would like you to have it. A token of appreciation for all that you have done for me.”

Antonio looked at João with wide eyes, then back at the jewelry, and back at João once more. “Is-- Is this goodbye?” he asked. “Is this your way of saying goodbye?”

“No, no of course not,” João assured him. “I will stay for as long as you allow. But I felt it was time to give this to you, now that the barn is done.”

Antonio took the box with care, as if he were holding the crown jewels. He looked at João and his lips spread into a wide smile. “Thank you. I will treasure it always,” he promised. His ears were not pierced, but he decided then that he would go into town first thing tomorrow so he could wear the small, thick hoops. The jewelry surprised him. It was not too feminine, but too delicate to be considered masculine. He knew he would not have a hard time wearing it around if he so chose.

For now, he closed the box and set it on top of his dresser to keep it safe as João moved to sit on the edge of the bed to wait for him. Antonio turned and walked back to stand in front of João, his arms draping around his thick neck and mane. It was strange, it was difficult to see João as a beast, or any kind of animal now, after how much humanity he had shown. He couldn’t help but lean in and press a small kiss to the top of João’s head.

“Even if the world sees you as a beast,” he murmured, “I will always see you as João.”

A bright light enveloped João, and Antonio flinched back and had to shield his eyes until the glow subsided almost a full minute later. He had to blink a few times to be rid of the spots in his vision, then had to blink several more times in an attempt to comprehend what he was seeing.

In front of him was a beautiful, lean man, who had thick, light brown curls cascading over his tanned shoulders. Brilliant green eyes were wide with shock, and Antonio faintly noticed a lunar delicately placed under his right eye. He had to resist the urge to kiss it, and he also had to suppress the urge to kiss those pale lips that were parted ever so slightly as he tried to comprehend what happened.

The man in front of him finally moved, just barely, to look down at his hands, his chest, his legs. He brushed his fingers over his arm, marveling at the smoothness of his skin.

Antonio finally snapped out of his shock, and he hesitantly reached out to rest his fingers on the man’s shoulder. “João?” he whispered.

Antonio’s voice seemed to shock João out of his stunned silence as well, and before Antonio could even process what was happening, he was tackled to the ground with a pair of lips pressing desperately against his own. Antonio’s head spun with the impact, and he looked up dazed at the man hovering over him.

“João, what-- what happened?”

“You broke the curse,” João said, a wide grin on his face. “You love me.”

Antonio’s mind raced to process this. Did he love João? As he looked up at the ecstatic, handsome man, with green eyes that held so much joy and love, his own chest warmed with the same joy.

“Yes,” he decided, winding his arms around João’s bare waist. “Yes, I do love you.”

João leaned in to press another firm kiss to Antonio’s lips. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice strained as tears streamed down his cheeks. “I owe you so much more than just my life. I owe you my heart, my soul, my everything.”

Antonio held João close, silently vowing to love João with the same intensity.

And he did. Their love stood up to the test of time, even as Antonio’s parents gawked at the idea of him marrying someone they had no idea existed until a few weeks before the wedding. Even as João’s family cried and begged for him to wait, to spend time with them instead after being gone for five years. João insisted that he wanted to stay by Antonio’s side, and Antonio the same.

At the altar, they only repeated what they had told each other countless times. How much they loved each other, and how much they would continue to love each other, no matter what happened. A promise, a spell in its own right, sealed with a kiss of true love.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please please leave a comment and/or kudos if you enjoyed it!! 
> 
> My art and writing commissions are still open!! Please check out https://merciful-mercenary.tumblr.com/post/179890278890/hey-guys-so-for-some-reason-ive-been-having-a
> 
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